Your breastfeeding relationship is precious and short. Mindful nursing means connecting with the experience in the moment, bringing your attention back to the milk.

Simple Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness as a basic meditation practice brings us to a non-judgmental awareness and focus on the moment. That practice can be formal, as we might learn in yoga or in Buddhist meditation, and that practice can be a loose, much less formal yet powerful consciousness in our lives.

A very basic structure for the practice can be:

sit with your back straight,

notice your breath, and

bring your mind back to the breath when it wanders—and it will wander.

You can spend 5 minutes on this practice, 30-minutes, or all day.

Yes, it can be that simple—to start.

Science of Happiness

The science of happiness has begun to tell us that this simple practice of mindfulness or meditation can help us savor the moments and let go of the judgments we let block us.

Our brains reorganize based on our experience. This is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. By being present in our moment with kindness and compassion toward ourselves and others, we change our brains. We create pathways ready for peace and happiness.

Just spending those few minutes of breastfeeding in awareness can have a big impact on your life and on your parenting—and through your parenting on your child’s life.

Meditative Breastfeeding

The length of time and the kind of time you spend breastfeeding is a perfect place for mindfulness practice. In most meditation, you bring your attention back to the breath, which you can do while your are nursing a baby, certainly, but there is much in the moment to recognize with breastfeeding. As your mind wanders, you could bring it back to your baby’s breath, to the sound of the suck, to your feeling of letdown, or more generally to the milk. Rather than bringing your mind back to the breath, you can practice bringing your awareness back to the milk.

Practice bringing your awareness back to the milk.

Mindfulness doesn’t push or pull, it recognizes what is as it is. Mindfulness is a practice of compassion, compassion for yourself as you are. At no time in my life have I needed more compassion for myself than in my parenting. Perhaps it is that way for you, too.

Using this breastfeeding time to cultivate a natural awareness will bring you back to yourself as parent, to your baby as a wiggly, giggly new person, and to your relationship with your baby as your milk flows.

Remove Barriers When You Choose

Breastfeeding in a baby carrier or under a cover can leave us disconnected from the experience, from the moment in the experience. It can, but it doesn’t have to if you don’t let these become barriers to your awareness or barriers to your relationship with your baby.

Practice Mindful Milk

However or wherever you are giving your baby milk, be mindful. Bring your awareness back to the physical and the more-than-physical experience.

Whether you breastfeed for months or years, this part of your relationship can feel altogether too short. Being present in the moment, each moment, can help you to welcome the experience as it is and let it change as it must.

As you sit with your baby, let the experience itself bring you back to the moment. Maybe your baby pinches you, bringing you back to the moment. Maybe you gaze into one another’s eyes, bringing you back to the love. Maybe you feel your milk flowing, bringing you back to the milk.

Practice bringing your awareness back to the milk.

For the next month, we are focusing on slowing down, unplugging, and being mindful—of our parenting, of our communities, and of our presence in nature.

World Breastfeeding Week

Milk matters for babies, for mothers, for families, and for global health and sustainability. World Breastfeeding Week is our chance to re-commit to wellness.

This campaign is a project of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding, which is “a global network of individuals & organisations concerned with the protection, promotion & support of breastfeeding worldwide.” Local advocates plan their own events then pledging funds from their local events to support breastfeeding worldwide.

Overall, World Breastfeeding Week goals are:

To provide information about Millennium Development Goals and how they relate to breastfeeding.

To showcase progress so far.

To call attention to stepping up actions after 2015 (the goal date for Millennium Development Goals).

To stimulate interest among young women and men in the relevance of breastfeeding in today’s world.

Milk Matters

At bynature.ca, we are pleased to support breastfeeding mothers in our own community with a monthly support group: Milk Matters.

Register online.Registration is not required, and there is no cost associated with this group.

Moms need all the help and support they can get. If you’re a breastfeeding mother looking for a like-minded support system, we’re thrilled to announce a new weekly Breastfeeding Café being hosted in the Parenting By Nature Wellness Lounge (above our storefront in Orillia, Ontario). Join other nursing moms in our community for a morning of conversation and support.

Pregnant women welcome and encouraged!

Whether you’re pregnant and just thinking about breastfeeding, currently nurturing an early breastfeeding relationship with a newborn, a pumping mom, or looking for a supporting group that understands the joys and challenges of nursing a toddler, this is the group for you.

DATE & TIME: Begins September 2014. A monthly support group meeting Wednesday mornings from 10:00am -11:00am

REGISTRATION: This is a complimentary program hosted by Parenting By Nature. Registration is not required.

TOPIC: Each week we will be discussing a different topic, depending on the needs of the group.

NOTE: In order to ensure moms are comfortable, this is a women-only support group. Men are welcome to wait in the lounge within the storefront. Thanks for your understanding!

Milk Matters is a local support group for breastfeeding women. The Café is facilitated by a trained Lactation Educator, Doula, or La Leche League Leader.

We provide mom-to-mom group support during these sessions. If your experience requires more individualized or clinical support, referrals will be provided.

When money is tight, you need to think clearly about every baby prep purchase. The essential shopping list for breastfeeding support is short.

Let’s start with a super short version of this post: you don’t need to buy anything to breastfeed. All you need is a baby and a breast.

On the other hand, you might find a few things useful, so I will share my experience to help you decide how to meet your needs on a budget.

Breastfeeding Supplies

The Essentials

Just you and your baby. Breastfeeding is a natural process. It requires no stuff.

Nice to Have

There are a few items that support breastfeeding that are predictably common. You will probably use them, so you could buy before your baby is born or wait until you feel the need. Once the baby arrives, though, there will be a lot of other things to think about. Items on this list would make a nice gift for a pregnant woman will plans to breastfeed.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. You will have questions about breastfeeding. You can ask in a La Leche League meeting, but sometimes it is nice to do background reading so you know what questions to ask. The Womanly Art is the classic breastfeeding book. If you talk to our staff in the store, we’ll help you decide whether this, Dr Sears’ Breastfeeding Book, or another book will be best for you as a basic how-to guide.

Nursing bra. If you are large breasted, you will probably want support, and it’s a lot easier to work around a nursing bra than a regular one. If you are small breasted, you might not need a nursing bra, but you might also be surprised when you become large breasted. For some, a breastfeeding tank can serve a similar purpose—giving a little support while making it quick and easy to unsnap and feed baby. You might want to buy your nursing bra in-store so experienced staff can help you get a bra that fits well and will work for the way you live.

Breast pads. Your breasts will probably leak. You might want to have 1-2 sets of absorbent breast pads on hand before you start breastfeeding. They are easy to wash with clothes. On the other hand, if you aren’t going out and don’t care how it looks, you’ll probably be fine using cloths or some other absorbent material you have around the house.

Lanolin. Most women experience some nipple dryness with breastfeeding. To soothe your skin without harming your baby, you need to choose your nipple soothing cream carefully. A lot of women use lanolin (from sheep), which is safe for babies when refined. There are other choices for soothing as well. This isn’t necessary until you do have dryness, but it’s a safe bet.

Tea & Cookies. Traditional herbal galactagogues (lactation promoters) can help build up your milk. Most women use the herbs by drinking tea, but cookies have been popular for the same purpose. Nice to have, but you don’t necessarily need herbal support. What you really need is a healthy diet of whole foods that nourishes both you and your baby.

Breastfeeding Station. This isn’t really a thing you buy but more a space you create. When you are going to be spending hours sitting, you might want to create a space where you have what you need: water, a book, a blanket, and a comfortable spot to put your feet up.

Depends on Your Needs

Despite being a natural process, there is a learning curve to breastfeeding. Most mothers need guidance—and sometimes stuff—to help the process go more smoothly.

You won’t know what you need until you need it, though. For this list, it’s best to wait.

Nursing clothes. If you want something more convenient than lifting your shirt, you might want to buy a few nursing shirts. Whether you need more clothes with hidden opening for nursing depends on your needs. I lived in my nursing nightgown, but I really hated the frumpy nursing tops I bought. If you buy, make sure that you can still be you while wearing the clothes. For many, a nursing tank will be enough to stretch an existing wardrobe.

Breast Pump, freezer trays, and bottles.You will probably leave your baby sometime while you are still breastfeeding. In that case, you will probably pump milk and leave it for another caregiver to feed your baby. How simple your system needs to be for saving milk depends on your lifestyle. If you will be working while continuing to breastfeed full time, you will need a powerful pump as well as a cooler to store your milk until you get home. Hold off buying these accessories until you know what you will need.

Nursing Pillow. A lot of women love their nursing pillows. I had one; I could probably have done without, though it was useful for a few months as a prop for my baby. It does help to have some support when you are exhausted, but you might want to wait to see if you can make do with what you have before you buy a pillow specifically for nursing.

Rocking Chair. It is nice to hold a baby and rock, but you can certainly breastfeed without. Another lifestyle choice.

Don’t Bother

Breastfeeding Cover. These baffle me. I do understand not wanting to bare one’s breasts to the world. It seems to me that a giant tent over a nursing baby draws quite a bit of attention, though. There are more discrete ways to cover up, such as a nursing shirt or the baby’s blanket. Still, a lot of people seem to love them. (A colleague has pointed out to me that this can help if you need to pump in a shared office. In that case, it could move up to the “Depends on Your Needs” list.)

Whether planned or not, a lot of us who practice extended breastfeeding find ourselves breastfeeding while pregnant. This is normal and common in many cultures.

Once you address a few potential concerns, you just need to be sure that you get enough nutrition, water, and rest as your body is nourishing three.

My first child was 24 months old and still breastfeeding frequently when I got pregnant with my second child. I had some of the common issues, like nipple sensitivity and lower milk production, but we maintained the breastfeeding relationship. Even the Braxton-Hicks contractions weren’t too much to bear until the day my son was born. That day, the bedtime feeding brought on such strong contractions that we skipped a feeding, for the first time in nearly three years. My son was born a few hours later.

Once my baby was born, I nursed both children for another two years. If I hadn’t seen a photo of one of my online friends showing how she stacked her tiny baby on top of her toddler, it might never have occurred to me that it was possible to breastfeed two children at once. Sitting with a baby and a toddler on my lap breastfeeding or holding my two children in my arms as we all fell asleep as they nursed, these are some of my sweetest memories of their young lives.

I was and am so grateful for women who share their experience so others can expand their own possibilities. That is how I expanded my own possibilities. If breastfeeding while pregnant then tandem nursing hadn’t occurred to you, I hope this opens a door for you.

“In a study of 179 mothers who had breastfed for at least six months, 61% had also breastfed during a subsequent pregnancy.1 Of these, 38% went on to nurse both newborn and toddler postpartum, an arrangement known as ‘tandem nursing.’”
Hilary Dervin Flower, “A New Look at the Safety of Breastfeeding During Pregnancy,” August 1, 2011, KellyMom.com.

Nutrition Concerns

To a great extent, you control your nutrition by what you take in. If you are pregnant AND breastfeeding an infant (not a busy toddler who checks in less often), you will probably need more calories.

Health Canada estimates energy requirements for a pregnant woman increase by 340 over the mother’s basic needs during the second trimester and by 452 calories during the third trimester. For breastfeeding, the energy requirements go up by 330 calories for a child 0-6 months and by 400 calories for a child 7-12 months. At the point when a child is no longer exclusively breastfeeding, the mother does not necessarily need to boost caloric intake over her basic needs. Not adding calories can help a mother lose some of the pregnancy weight if it is still lingering.

If you have a 4-month old exclusively breastfeeding and you are one month pregnant, you will need extra calories for the breastfeeding but not for the first trimester of the pregnancy, and you might find that your milk supply decreases too much for your newborn. You should watch your baby’s weight gain closely. If you have a 9-month old exclusively breastfeeding when you discover that you are one month pregnant, you will probably need to be aware of adding calories for both your breastfeeding baby and your pregnancy by the second trimester. That will mean about 740 extra calories a day. Your lactation consultant, midwife, or doctor can make specific recommendations.

Contraction Concerns

One of the most common worries I see associated with breastfeeding while pregnant is the possibility of miscarriage or early labor. Oxytocin released during breastfeeding does cause contractions, but these contractions are so mild that most women don’t notice them. (KellyMom)

Unless there is a specific medical reason to expect pre-term labor or miscarriage, very mild contractions during breastfeeding are not necessarily a reason to wean your child during pregnancy.

Comfort Concerns

If you experience nausea or fatigue during pregnancy, breastfeeding could potentially increase either. You will need great nutrition and plenty of rest. Fortunately, focused breastfeeding time could give you regular rest time. Keep snacks near your favorite nursing area. Eating a few crackers and having a drink while breastfeeding can take the edge off of nausea.

Many women experience nipple sensitivity during pregnancy. This is caused by hormone levels and can be mild or extreme. Breastfeeding while your nipples are very sensitive can be excruciating. Toddlers can get lazy with their latch, so be sure your child has taken a full mouthful and isn’t pulling from your nipple. You can also just ask your toddler to be quite gentle with you. Some women use this time to practice pain management techniques they learn for the birthing process.

You Are the One Who Knows

You are the one who knows whether or not you should continue breastfeeding your baby through pregnancy then continue tandem nursing both children. Watching those babies reach out and touch one another, bonding while they sit on your lap nursing, can be one of the most moving experiences of a chaotic life with young children. But, you need to ensure everyone’s nutrition, safety, and comfort before you get to that point.

Resources for Breastfeeding While Pregnant

If you plan to breastfeed while pregnant, you will probably find it helpful to talk to a La Leche League Leader who has done the same. It can be very reassuring to share the experience with someone who has been there.

Latch is a skill that both mother and baby need to learn when beginning breastfeeding in order to be sure that the baby gets enough milk and the mother is comfortable.

This is the end of World Breastfeeding Week, which seeks to create support systems families need for successful breastfeeding. Last weekend was The Big Latch On, a fun world record event that builds community support and brings positive attention to breastfeeding. Globally, we see support not just from peers and dedicated breastfeeding organizations but from healthcare providers, employers, and governments. Benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mother are clear, so more institutions are providing services and support. That means most mothers can identify help when they need it.

Occasionally we ask our followers on Facebook about their breastfeeding challenges. Yesterday, a lot of you responded. I wrote about mastitis a couple of weeks ago, because that was the one big issue I had breastfeeding, but I wanted to back up and address an issue that has to be taken care of early on in order to start the breastfeeding relationship right. If your baby isn’t latching correctly, your baby won’t get needed nutrition and you will have pain.

Breastfeeding is a skill for both mother and baby. Yes, it’s natural, but we still have to learn how to do it well. Latching is one of those subtle skills that a mother needs to watch and adjust when it doesn’t work.

Latch refers to how the baby holds the breast in the mouth. A baby has to open very wide in order to get enough of the breast to pump the breast and pull the milk. If you have tickled or touched your baby’s chin, you know that this triggers the reflex to open wide. If your baby is sipping at the nipple alone, you will feel the pain and your baby won’t get enough milk. If you can’t see nipple and you can’t see the bottom of the areola because your baby’s turnout bottom lip is covering it, you’re doing well. That’s the latch on.

Make sure you position the baby to allow enough access to your breast.

Tickle or tap your baby’s chin to get a big, wide open mouth.

Squeeze your breast, flattening it a bit at that start, so it fits better the wide open shape of your baby’s mouth.

If your breasts are so large that the nipples aim down, hold it up toward your baby. You might find propping your breasts on a rolled up baby blanket helps you get comfortable.

When you see that wide open mouth, pull the baby in close to you.

If you feel discomfort as your baby is sucking, stick a finger in to break the suck and start over. Your baby probably won’t like that, but it’s worth getting the latch right.

Are there many ways to latch correctly? Absolutely. If your baby is getting milk and growing well, and if you are comfortable, you probably don’t have any latching problems.

When it’s hot outside, the last thing you need is breastfeeding trouble that leaves you with a fever and your breasts feeling hot to the touch. Mastitis can happen to any breastfeeding mother.

Mastitis is generally caused by too little milk being removed from the breasts. This can happen if your baby is having trouble getting enough milk, if you have too much supply, you’ve skipped feedings, or you have a blockage due to pressure on a duct or due to inflammation.

The heat and ache of mastitis can be intense. It feels a lot like having the flu.

Writing the cooling summer posts these past two weeks reminded me of one of my hottest, most miserable summers with my first baby when I had mastitis. That first baby is now a 16-year old. This week she was complaining, “My bra is so hot.” So, I reached into the refrigerator and showed her the trick someone taught me to cool my breasts during that hot summer. I gave her cabbage leaves to tuck into her bra and cool off.

Cooling off was one of the most important steps for me because it kept me calm so I could deal with the other steps.

Cool off.

Rest.

Get help.

Cool down

When you have hot breasts and fever in addition to the heat of summer, use a fan, mist water, even use the air conditioner if you need to do that to keep from adding to the heat burden. I found cabbage leaves straight from the refrigerator gave me temporary relief, like cool packs but without quite so much shocking cold.

Don’t stop breastfeeding

You need rest and hydration. Go to bed with your baby, and feed the baby frequently, emptying your breasts each time. Keep water nearby, and continue to sip while you are resting.

See a breastfeeding professional

Call a lactation consultant or talk to your local La Leche League Leader. The symptoms of mastitis and a plugged duct are similar. A professional can help you figure out the best approach specific to you, and it is very helpful to have that calming voice telling you that what you are experiencing will pass.

Baby’s first summer? When it is hot outside, your baby still needs to breastfeed—probably more often than in cool weather. How can you stay cool while breastfeeding? It’s all about hydration and air flow.

Hydration

When it is hot outside, we sweat more in order to cool off. Because we lose more fluids, we need to take in more fluids.

Breastfeeding is enough to keep your baby hydrated, but a hot, thirsty baby may need to breastfeed more than usual. You may also notice that your baby wants to feed for shorter periods of time, which means more of the thinner foremilk and less of the hindmilk. This gives your baby exactly what is needed during hot weather.

Look for cues that your baby is asking to feed more often. Do not give your baby water or ice cubes. You will probably need to drink a lot more water to meet your needs and your baby’s, but your baby does not need supplemental water even in very hot weather.

If your house is air conditioned, your baby may lose more fluids through the skin, so keep in mind that a cool house doesn’t necessarily mean your baby won’t experience increased fluid needs in warm weather.

Bring your water. Before you sit down to breastfeed, grab your own water. Sip while you feed to keep yourself hydrated.

Air Flow

One of the keys to keeping cool in the summer, whether you are breastfeeding or changing diapers, is maintaining air flow. A breeze helps us feel cooler as it evaporates sweat.

When both you and your baby are hot and sticky, you might not be eager to be skin to skin for hours a day. Your baby might hesitate to feed because of the warmth, so try cooling off before feeding then keep feeding as cool as possible.

Stay Apart. If you lie down to breastfeed, you can put a bit more space between the two of you for air flow.

Cool Off. A quick bath, a dip in the wading pool, or just a splash in the sink and a wipe down can cool off your baby before feeding time. You could also keep a cloth near your diaper changing table and wipe your baby down with each diaper change. If nights are hot and humid with little relief from daytime temperatures, cooling off with water is a good way to calm down and make bedtime more comfortable.

Stay Cool. To keep from warming one another up immediately with skin-to-skin contact, insulate yourselves. Put a cotton prefold or flat diaper between you, or dress your baby in a very lightweight cotton outfit or just a diaper and a T-shirt. If you have a fan or a breeze, make sure that it won’t cool your baby too much during that relaxed, post-feeding state. Don’t sit with your baby directly in front of the fan or air conditioning. Keep the air comfortable.

For more cool tips for hot weather, read about cloth diapering. Next week, Cool Babywearing for Hot Weather.Link to sunscreen for infants

Before the experience of pregnancy and breastfeeding, you might be curious what changes to expect with your body during pregnancy, during breastfeeding, and afterward.

Because of the hormonal changes in your body, your breasts may get larger during pregnancy. Increased blood flow can make them feel tight or swollen. If you experience breast sensitivity before your period, you may have a similar, stronger feeling during pregnancy. You may even see some discharge, as your breasts create colostrum in anticipation of your baby’s arrival. The most noticeable physical change is in fullness of your breasts.

After your baby is born and breastfeeding is well established, you will notice the change in fullness and size. As your breasts fill with milk, they become fuller and firmer. When your baby empties one breast, it will look and feel noticeably softer. If your baby stops after one breast, you will probably look a bit lop-sided until the next feeding. As you breastfeed, your breasts will change in appearance and feel.

Most of the changes that come with pregnancy and breastfeeding are temporary. Many new mothers want to know if their bodies will change permanently. Your body will definitely change permanently, but the extent of the changes varies greatly among mothers.

Several physical changes are happening. The milk-producing structures of the breast fill and empty, creating firmness and softness. Milk production results in denser breasts, which does mean some increase in size. For all women, though, fat cells determine breast size. During pregnancy, our bodies put on fat to support the pregnancy and breastfeeding. Part of the increase in breast size is just about fat—and, lest this isn’t clear in our fat-obsessed culture, that is a very good thing. Breastfeeding can reduce overall fat stores for some women, but it isn’t a given that you will lose the pregnancy fat after your baby is born. Another change that happens with the appearance of your breasts when your skin stretches. Some women get stretch marks; some women just find that their skin doesn’t feel as tight; and, yes, some women find that their breasts sag.

Sagging breasts aren’t caused by breastfeeding, though. A study found clear factors in sagging—age, significant weight loss, higher body mass index, large cup size, number of pregnancies, and a history of smoking—but breastfeeding, weight gain during pregnancy, and lack of upper body exercise were not among the causes. So, no, breastfeeding won’t cause your breasts to sag, though stretched skin might contribute to sagging.

Experience varies quite a bit between pre-pregnancy to post-breastfeeding breasts. You could return to almost the same size and shape you had before, your breasts could shrink and sag, or you could go from being flat-chested to abundantly busty (as I did).

To support your breasts and prevent unnecessary changes, wear a well-fitting bra during pregnancy and breastfeeding, even at night. This isn’t a necessity for health, but it can make a difference to post-breastfeeding appearance. Larger breasted women need a lot more support, and smaller breasted women can be fortunate enough to need no more than a breastfeeding top with a built-in bra. We carry Bravado Bras as well as Glamourmom and Undercover Mama nursing tops because these are the products we found helpful ourselves.

Does your baby keep falling asleep while nursing? Are you wondering whether this is OK? It is!

It is common for a newborn to be very sleepy. The size of a newborn’s stomach is very small. Their need for sleep is often greater early on than their need for food. Some babies even lose weight for a bit, but weight loss won’t go on for long for a healthy baby.

It isn’t a problem if an older baby falls asleep nursing either, unless you find it a problem. A baby might nurse a bit here and there for an hour then want to be fed again in another hour. If this kind of feeding doesn’t fit your schedule, you can take steps to encourage your baby to stay awake and nurse more consistently for a shorter period of time.

Keep in mind as well that you want your baby to get the fatty milk that comes as your breast is emptying (sometimes called “hindmilk”). Whether you do this by nursing frequently (keeping your breasts relatively empty) or by nursing until empty on one side before switching to the other, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure that your baby is getting the full benefit of the fatty milk.

How to Keep a Baby Awake

Many mothers have developed gentle ways to keep a baby awake long enough to nurse thoroughly.

Start by changing your baby’s diaper before feeding. If you use a cold cloth to wipe the baby’s bottom or against her face and back, your baby will start the feeding stimulated.

Don’t put your baby’s clothes back on after the diaper change. Some babies stay awake longer with skin to skin contact.

Tickle his toes. Be aware of whether this is fun or irritating for the baby, but it is a common way to keep breastfeeding babies awake.

Sing to your baby. Your baby loves watching you. If you do something interesting, you might find that she stays awake just to see what you will do next.

Use the cold washcloth again. Brushing your baby’s cheeks with a cool washcloth can cause an intake of breath and more awareness—at least for a short time.

If you nurse on both sides at a feeding, stop in between and play for a bit. Sing and laugh. This is similar to the idea of changing diaper before feeding. If your baby is stimulated to start, he is more likely to stay awake.

Or, Just Let the Baby Sleep

Chances are you need more sleep yourself. If your baby wants to sleep, maybe you can take advantage and sleep as well. If you have a soft, comfortable chair or if you nurse in bed, this works better than sleeping sitting up.

If you don’t need the sleep, but you do need focus time, can you do your work with your baby on your lap? If you have set up a nursing station with water, phone, notebook, book, computer, or whatever it is you need to do, your baby’s sleepy nursing time could be a good time for you.

One of my babies was a leisurely, sleepy nurser, and I didn’t try to change her patterns. I went on with my work by nursing where I knew I needed to be next. Sometimes, especially when I was nursing a toddler and pregnant, I just slept.

In general, it isn’t a problem that your baby falls asleep while nursing, unless you find it a problem. You can help your baby adjust to your schedule, but your baby also needs you to adjust to her needs. If your baby is growing, alerts at other times, and happy, do what you can to go with the flow.

The first few weeks of breastfeeding after giving birth can be an emotional time for a new mother. The physical and emotional changes, and the hormones that stimulate these changes, can leave you wondering what is going on.

Look what you’ve just been through! The experience of giving birth chances you. And, now, the complete dependence of your new child gives you new responsibilities. Those responsibilities might make it difficult to return to healthy patterns of sleeping and eating. Then, there are the physical changes you are going through. Your body looks different. It IS different. Hormones stimulate changes that help you transition from pregnancy to breastfeeding. What a ride those hormones can take you on. Hold on.

Four hormones are responsible for many of the changes you experience as you move from pregnancy to breastfeeding.

Estrogen and Progesterone levels go down immediately with birth because the source of these hormones was the placenta. They go down to post-menopausal levels, so some women experience symptom similar to those of menopause. Yes, it is completely normal, and your hormones will return to higher levels. The progesterone had a mood-elevating effect, so you may have some emotional let down immediately, though the experience of meeting and bonding with your baby may keep you from noticing much. Just as with hormone levels during the menstrual cycle, different women’s bodies respond differently to postpartum changes in hormone levels.

Prolactin and Oxytocin levels go up as you begin breastfeeding. Prolactin stimulates milk production, as well as stimulating your appetite for milk production. In the first few weeks, oxytocin causes uterine contractions as your uterus returns to is normal size. Oxytocin has a calming effect. The well-being you feel as you gaze at your nursing baby, the bonding you experience as you establish the breastfeeding relationship, is stimulated by oxytocin.

Other factors than hormones also influence the emotional side of breastfeeding. Sleep (or fatigue), changes in appetite, and, for many mothers, anemia, can all affect your physical and emotional well-being.

The first two weeks of breastfeeding are critical. Most new mothers experience some baby blues. Keep in mind that there is a difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression. The baby blues come with the extreme changes in hormones just after birth and with the beginning of breastfeeding. Hormones aren’t the only factor, though. As a new parent, you have a lot of responsibilities, and your probably aren’t getting as much sleep as your body needs. You can lessen the impact of the changes by arranging a support system. Let your friends and family help you if you need a break. Let them cook for you or watch the baby while you take a nap.

You need sleep. Your baby’s sleep patterns have a big impact on your own sleep or lack thereof. Don’t let lack of sleep exaggerate the negative. For your own physical and emotional health, it is important that you get the sleep your body needs to lessen the effects of hormone changes and to give you the best chance to experience the beauty of those early days with your baby. Let the oxytocin and prolactin give you all of the calming and bonding help and ride that wave of love for your baby. Get as much sleep as you can to avoid the effects lack of sleep has on mood, appetite, memory, immunity, and safety.

Your hormones will change again after those early days. Even when you breastfeed long-term, prolactin levels will drop in four to six months. If you are still experiencing emotional upheaval after months of breastfeeding, it is possible that you are experiencing postpartum depression. A professional can help with diagnosis and treatment. There are natural ways to treat PPD for most women, and you can make lifestyle changes that help.

The hormones, the experience of birth and motherhood, the complete upheaval in your life—it’s all a crazy ride. Give yourself and your baby the best chance of a positive breastfeeding experience by doing your best to get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, and build back up to your normal level of physical activity.